Slubbing mechanism for spinning frames



A.. E. WINSLOW ETAL SLUBBING MECHANISM FOR SPINNING FRAMES 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 21, 195s 2,820,253

Filed Aug. 28. 1953 Jan. 2l, 1958 A. E. wlNsLw Erm..

SLUBBING MECHANISM FOR SPINNING FRAMES Filed Aug. 28. ,1953

e @u ...UH 7 um BY mama/w@ Jan. 21, 1958 A. E. wlNsLow ETAL SLUBBING MECHANISM FOR SPINNING FRAMES Filed Aug. 28, 1953 '7 Sheets-Sheet 3 .INVENTORS ALBERT f. w/Nsww 6 Y MM5: H. MHLWAIN Jan. 21, 1958 A. E. WINSLOW ETAI- SLUBBING MECHANISM FOR SPINNNG FRAMES 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Aug. 28, 1953 ,f a @di Jan. 21, 1958 A. E. wlNsLow rAL 2,820,253

SLUBBING MECHANISM FOR SPINNING FRAMES v Filed Aug. 28, 1953 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 V JNVENToRs Z g 7 LJERT E. WINSLOW 8- B/'AMEJ H. Me/LWAIIY 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 Afl) A. E. WINSLOW I'AL SLUBBING MECHANISM FOR SPINNING FRAMES Y u u a n m 1 M mi n a 2 9 Jan. 2l, 1958 Filed Aug. 28, 1953 JNVENTORS ,usc-Rr i W//vsww s f3/wis H. Mm. mol/v 4 T'ORNE YJ Jan 21, 1958 A. E. wlNsLow ETAL 2,820,253

SLUBBING MECHANISM FOR SPINNING FRAMES 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 Filed Aug. 28, -1953 INVENTORS ust-Rr f. w//vnow s .r4/nes H. /m-/L waz/v BY N a TTORNEVJ United States 2,820,253 SLUBBING MECHANISM FOR SPINNING FRAMES Application August 28, 1953, Serial No. 377,088 8 Claims. (Cl. 19143.3)

This invention relates to means for producing slub yarns on spinmng frames, and more particularly to an improved slubbing mechanism by which the operation of spinning frames may be controlled with exceptional effectiveness in the production of slub yarns.

It is well known that slub yarns may be formed on spinning frames by varying the roll drive at intervals so that either the rear rolls are speeded up or the front rolls are slowed down to produce a bunch in the yarn during the speed change; and that, by spacing the intervals of speed change irregularly, a slub yarn having an attractive randomly hunched appearance may be obtained. i The slubbing mechanism of the present invention makes it possible to actuate the speed changes smoothly and instamane-ously in the course of the spinning operatori, and with an infinite variation in the degree or pattern of irregularity. Briefly described, this mechanism is characterized by the disposition on a drive shaft interposed in the spinning frame roll drive of a differential having the spider gears thereof carried on a cross shaft fixed on the drive shaft, and having the shroud gears thereof mounted for free rotation on the drive shaft, with means for rotating the shroud gears in opposite directions at unequal speeds, and with selective means for varying the relative speeds of rotation of the shroud gears.

By this arrangement, the drive shaft is rotated through the spider gear cross shaft from the reaction on the spider gears resulting from the relative rotation of the shroud gears, so that a proper degree of relative rotation can easily be provided to obtain a normal roll drive speed and it is only necessary to vary this relative rotation as desired -to obtain a slubbing effect. Among the important advantages of this arrangement is the fact that the differential reacts instantly to any variation in the relative rotation of the shroud gears so as to provide for very precise control of the slubbing operation, while the spider gears function to absorb and cushion the shock of the resulting speed change and thereby allow a smooth and even operation.

These and other features of the present invention are described in further detail below in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram representing in end elevation, the relative arrangement in a spinning frame roll drive of a slubbing mechanism according to the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a corresponding schematic diagram, in side elevation, further illustrating the roll drive arrangement shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary end elevation showing an actual latent C M'ce Fig. 6 is a sectional detail taken substantially on the line 6-6 in Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a sectional detail taken substantially on the line 7-7 in Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is a sectional detail taken substantially on the line 8 8 in Fig. 5; and

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary perspective view, partly in section, showing a modified speed change actuating means for the slubbing mechanism illustrated in the previous views.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, Fig. 1 shows schematically the relative disposition of a slubbing mechanism unit, indicated generally by the reference numeral 10, as interposed in the roll drive of a spinning frame F. As shown in Fig. l, a take-off pinion is represented at 12 from the gear box of the spinmng trame F, and from which pinion 12 an input drive connection 14 runs to the slubbing mechanism 1U, that in turn has two output drive connec- -tions 16 and 16' for certain of the drafting rolls at either side of the spinning frame F.

Fig. 2, which is also a schematic representation, further shows the taire-olf pinion 12 ybeing driven from a geared connection with an intermediate drive gear 18 of the spinning frame roll drive from which the front drafting roll 2o is directly driven in a conventional manner through a geared connection at 22 and a gear pair at 24. It should be noted too that the shaft for the front drafting roll 20 is shown in Fig. 2 carrying a further gear 26 from which the drive for the remaining drafting rolls would normally be geared, but which is left idle according tol the present invention and the interposed slubbing mechanism 10 employed instead to drive the other drafting rolls, the output drive 16 being illustrated in Fig. 2 geared as at 28 to drive the back drafting roll 30, with a gear cluster at 32 being employed to drive the intermediate drafting roll 34 from the back roll drive. The roll drive connections just described are duplicated for the drafting rolls at each side of the spinning frame F, as is indicated in the drawings by primed reference numerals for the elements corresponding to those previously identified by the reference numerals 18 to 34, inclusive.

Fig. 3 shows an actual fragmentary representation of a spinning frame F having a slubbing mechanism unit 10 embodying the present invention installed thereon. In this case, the spinning frame F is shown with an intermediate drive gear pair 36 and 36 engaged by gears 38 and 38 to drive the front roll shafts 40 and 40 without any further gearing, which makes it necessary to arrangev the take-off as at 42 for the input drive connection 44 to the slubbing mechanism 10 from the opposite intermediate drive gear 36 as compared with the arrangement previously referred to in Figs. 1 and 2. Otherwise, the slubbing mechanism 10 is arranged in substantially the same manner as previously described with output drive connections 46 and 46' for the intermediate roll shafts 48 and 48', and the back roll shafts 50 and 50,. It should be recognized, however, that the drive arrangements represented in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 are purely illustrative, and that the slubbing mechanism 10 could be used to equally good advantage with any other roll drive gearing arrangement desired and for varying the speed of any of the drafting rolls, although the speed control arrangement shown for the back and intermediate drafting riolls is preferred.

Fig. 4 of the drawings illustrates in detail the arrangement of a slubbing mechanism 10 embodying the present invention, and in which an input sprocket is shown at 52 for the input drive connection 44 previously referred to in Fig. 3, and output sprockets 54 and 54 for the output drive connections 46 and 46', respectively. The inputsprocket 52 is fixed on an input shaft 56, and the output, sprockets 54 and 54' on output shafts 58 and 58', all of which are -journaled in thehousing for 4'the slubbing mechanisrn 'in spaced parallel relation. The output shafts 58 and 58'I are geared to run together at equal speeds, but 1n opposite directions, by a gear pair 60 and 60'; and the `input shaft 56 is geared through gears, 62 Vand 64, which are preferably arranged as change gears, to drive a countershaft 66 that is also jonrnaled in the housing of slubbing mechanism 10.

As previously mentioned, the roll ydrive is transmitted through the slubbing mechanism 10 by ymeans of a diifer entlal which is shown in Fig. 4 arranged on the output shaft S8 and comprising spider gears ,68 rotatably disposed on a cross shaft 70 that is fixed to provide a planetary drive for the output shaft 58, as vby a dowel connection at 7B (compare ,'Fig. 6) together with a pair of shroud gears 472 and 74 that are mounted for free rotation on the output shaft 58 (compare Figs. 7 and 8). Each of these differential shroud gears 72 and 74 are 'assembled with spur gears 76 and 78 of different sizes that are keyed to rotate therewith on the output shaft 58, and the shroud gear 74 is further assembled in fixed relation with a rotating clutch jaw disposed oppositely to a stationary clutch jaw 82.

The drive reaching the slubbing mechanism 10 at the input slraft 56 is transmitted through both differential shroud gears 72 and 74, first b y a mating spur gear S4 keyed on the input shaft 56 to engage the spur gear 76 assembled with the shroud gear 72, and then by a further mating spur gear 86 carried on the countershaft 66 to engage the spur gear 78 lassembled with the other shroud gear 74, the result of which arrangement is to drive the shroud gears 72 and 74 in` opposite directions at unequal speeds, as the mating spur gear pairs VSLi-76 and 86-78 are of different ratios,` and thereby cause displacement of the spider gears 68 to turn or drive the output shaft 58 (and in turn the output shaft 58') through the reaction on'the cross shaft 7l). This gear train through the slubbing mechanism 10 may accordingly be designed for operation normally in the manner just described to obtain any roll drive speed desired for regular spinning.

In order to form slub eifects in the yarn being spun further provision is made for selectively changing the relative speeds of rotation of the differential shroud gears 72 and 74. This is done in the embodiment of the present invention illustrated in the drawings by means of the previously mentioned clutch jaws 80 and 82 which may be engaged to lock the adjacent shroud gear 74 against rotation and thereby change the reaction on the spider gears 68 and cross shaft 70 to change the speed at which the output shafts 58 and 58 are driven (i. e., to speed up the output shafts 58 and 58', as it is the back and intermediate drafting rolls that are being controlled by the slubbing mechanism 10 in the embodiment shown).

To allow this locking of the differential shroud gear 74, the spur gear 86 from which it is normally driven is carried on the countershaft 66 by a conventional overrunning clutch unit 88 of any suitable design (such as a Morse No. FS-6 plain bearing type overrunning clutch), and by which the countershaft 66 is simply freed to overrun whenever the shroud gear 74, and the related spur gear pair 86-78, are locked by engagement of the clutch jaws 80 and 82.

Por controlling the operation of the clutch jaws 80 and 82 to lock or release the diierential shroud gear 74, the stationary clutch jaw 82 may be biased for engaging the rotating jaw 80 by means of a compression spring as at 90 made to bear thereon from the housing of the slubbing mechanism 10, the clutch jaw S2 being slidably mounted on a block member at 92 and tted with a shifting lever 94 that is fulcrumed at 96 and linked at its remote end for actuation'by a solenoid 98 to maintain the clutch jaw 82 normally free of the opposed jaw Sil against the bias of the engaging spring 90 (compare Figs. 4 and 8). Alternatively, as illustrated in Fig. 9, a different form of shifting lever for the clutch jaw 82 might be employed having a gear segment 102 at-its remote end to engage a rack element 104 carried by a piston rod 106 from an air (or other fluid pressure) cylinder controlled from a solenoid valve 110.

In either case, the solenoid 100 or solenoid valve 110 may be actuated in accordance with the slubbing pattern desired, as by means of a timing system such as disclosed in copending application Serial No. 376,651, filed August 26, 1953, and now VU. S. Patent #2,763,819, to .control the slubbing mechanism 10 readily for the speed changes required to correspond with the desired slubbing pattern.

The present invention has been described Vin detail above forpurposes of illustration only yand is not intended to be limited by this description or otherwise except as defined in the appended claims.

We claim:

l. A slubbing mechanism for controlling the production of slub yarn, said mechanism comprising an input shaft and an output shaft, a pair of spider gears fixed on said output shaft in planetary relation, a pair of shroud gears rotatably mounted on said output shaft and engaging said spider gears, a directly geared driving connection from said input shaft for rotating one of said shroud gears, a countershaft directly geared for driving from said input shaft, a directly geared connection including overrunning means Vfrom said countershaft for causing the other of said shroud gears to rotate normally at a different speed, a clutch for locking said other Shroud gear against rotation, and selectively operable means for actuating said clutch to engage and release said other shroud gear intermittently.

2. A `slubbing mechanism for spinning frames, said mechanism comprising a drive shaft interposed in the drafting roll drive for said spinning frame, a cross shaft fixed to said drive shaft, a pair of differential spider gears rotatably disposed on said cross shaft, a pairr of differential shroud gears rotatably disposed on said drive shaft to engage said spider gears, a directly geared drive means for rotating one of said shroud gears in one direction, a directly geared countershaft drive means including overrunning means for causing the other of said shroud gears to rotate normally in the opposite direction at a different speed, and clutch means for selectively locking said other shroud gear against rotation.

3. In a spinning frame having successive pairs of drafting rolls and a geared drive for said rolls, a slubbing mechanism interposed in said roll drive for speed control of certain of said drafting roll pairs, said mechanism comprising a pair of differential spider gears arranged as a planetary drive, a pair of shroud gears rotatably engaging said spider gears for planetary driving action thereat, directly geared drive means for rotating one of said shroud gears, directly geared countershaft drive means including overrunning means for causing the other of said shroud gears to .rotate normally in the opposite direction at a diiferent speed, a clutch for locking said other shroud gear against rotation, and control means for selectively actuating said clutch to engage and release said other shroud gear. j

4. In a spinning frame, the combination with a plurality of pairs of successive drafting rolls and a geared drive therefor of a slubbing mechanism interposed in said geared roll vdrive for controlling the speed of certain of said drafting rolls, said mechanism comprising a driving shaft for the drive to the rolls to be controlled, a pair of differential spider gears rotatably disposed on a cross shaft fixed to said driving shaft and forming a planetary drive therefor, a pair of differential shroud gears rotatably engaging said spider gears, directly geared drivingconnections for rotating said shroud gears at a given dif-v ferential speed relation, one of said driving connections including a countershaft and overrunning means thereon for allowing rotation ofthe shroud gear connected thereat to be stopped, a clutch for locking said last mentioned i shroud gear against rotation, and selectively operable 5 control means for actuating said clutch to engage and release said last mentioned shroud gear.

5. In a spinning frame, the combination defined in claim 4 and further characterized in that said control means comprises a solenoid actuated shifting lever for said clutch.

6. In a spinning frame, the combination defined in claim 5 and further characterized in that said clutch shifting lever is fulcrumed with the remote end thereof directly linked for actuation to a solenoid.

7. In a spinning frame, the combination defined in claim 5 and further characterized in that said clutch shifting lever is fulcrumed with the remote end thereof operatively connected to the piston rod of a fluid pressure cylinder, and a solenoid control valve is provided for said cylinder.

8. A slubbing mechanism for controlling the production of slub yarn, said mechanism comprising an output drive shaft, a pair of spider gears xed on said drive 6 shaft in planetary relation, a pair of shroud gears rotatably mounted on said drive shaft and engaging said spider gears, directly geared drive means for normally rotating both of said shroud gears at a given differential speed relation, said drive means including a countershaft and overrunning means thereon at one of said shroud gears for allowing rotation of said shroud gear to be stopped, and selectively operable means for intermittently locking against rotation the shroud gear at said overrunning means and thereby establishing a different speed relation between said shroud gears.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,317,272 Daily Sept. 30, 1919 1,642,452 Lovett Sept. 13, 1927 1,981,546 Hartley Nov. 20, 1934 2,201,844 Wilson May 21, 1940 2,509,443 McKeown May 30, 1950 

